German ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN has opened an Engineering Center within the ZF Serbia complex in Pančevo (Serbia). The President of the Republic of Serbia visited this state-of-art center which will develop new technologies and components within the e-mobility division of the company.

Photo: Tanjug/ Zoran Zestić

ZF Serbia Engineering Center has 3.000 square meters of office and conference space and currently employs around 200 engineers. The multidisciplinary engineering team in this Centre develops new products of the E-mobility division, the design of electric traction drives, the development of drive axles, and software calibration, testing, and validation. The company has invested around €35 million in this R&D center in total. 

Within the test center, which has €20 million worth of test equipment, there are 16 rooms for testing and verification of electrical machines, as well as endurance and performance testing in active and passive mode, as well as validation of the entire system. The first tests in this state-of-the-art research center began in January 2021, and after that, the center has officially started to work.  

ZF in Serbia has a production plant of 58.000 m2 and now an additional R&D center. The company employs around 1.000 people in both units.

Photo: Tanjug/ Zoran Zestić

Today’s official visit of the President of the Republic of Serbia was attended by the company’s officials too, Mr. Otmar Scharrer Head of Engineering, responsible for electric drives in the new Electrified Powertrain Technology division and Managing Director ZF Serbia Milan Grujić, and H.E. Ambassador of Germany to Serbia Mr. Thomas Schiebe.

President wished successful work to investors and stated how proud he is as Serbia will contribute to the development of new technologies and the future of the automotive industry through the work of this R&D center.

ZF opened its production plant in Pančevo in June 2019.  This €160 million worth investment was the first foreign investment in the City of Pančevo after several decades.

In 2019, ZF Serbia achieved a turnover of approximately €22 million.  

Photo: Tanjug/ Zoran Zestić